Mitten and the art of knitting the same



(No Model.)

J. NELSON.

. MITTEN AND ART l0F KNITTING THE SAME. No. 252,893. Patented Jan. 31.1882.

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l JOHN NELSON, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.

MITTEN AND THE ART oF KNITTING THE SAME.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent. No. 252,893, dated January 31, 1882.

Application filed October 6, 1880.

Be it known that I, Jol-1N NELSON, of the city of Rockford, in the county of Winnebago and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Mittens and in the Art of Knitting the Same, of which the following is a specification.

rJhis invention relates to the art of knitting mittens, and its object is to produce by machinerya knit mitten complete except closing the lengthwise openings on the outside and inside edges of thethumb.

My invention consists in a method of knitting mittens, which method will be hereinafter described, and specilied'in the claims.

My invention also consists in a mitten constituting a new article ot' manufacture, the pecnliar features ot' which will be hereinat'ter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, vFigure l is a palm view of my improved mitten as prod need by the machine, of which Fig. 2 is a vie-w of the thumb edge. Fig. 3 is van edge view, and Fig. 4 a palm View, of the complete mitten. l

rlhis improved mitten is produced from yarn substantially the same as usuallyrmployed in the manufacture of such or similar goods; and

myimgrovcd knitting-machine,secured in Patentsnumberedrespectively214,308and21409, dated April l5, 1.879, will be found a convenient machine on which to produce the mitten, and for which purpose it will only require the parttern drum or wheel to be iitted to the design.

In setting up the work of my improved mitten on my improved machine the required number of needles necessary to produce the full size of mitten required are employed in equal numbers on opposite sides, and both rows or sets thereof are simultaneously run up toward each other, the hook or latch ends of each set thereof crossing the plane of niovement of their respective opposite sets or rows, in which position the needles of the respective rows cross each other in the form ofthe letter X, and the yarn, by means of a carrier, (a suitable fonm ot' which is shonn and described in Patent No. 214,309, above-referrrd to,) is delivered tothe needlesin the u`pper angle formed by their crossing, and upon the delivery ot' the yarn both rows or sets of needles descend,

(No model.)

and their hook ends engage the yarn on opposite sides and form it into zigzag loops spanning rhespace between the rows of needles in a suitable forin to commence the knitting process at the dotted line A, at or near the point in the mitten (preferably on the back thereof) `at which the taper is commenced, to produce the taper or rounded closed end thereof. From this point the knittingis proceeded with toward the point I3 ofthe mitten, the work being held on one set of needles and the knitting being performed on the opposite set, producing the back portion thereof by knitting back and forth on the same side or row of needles, and narrowing at proper intervals to produce the desired form ofthe back portion ofthe closed or finger end portion ofthe mitten, and when sufficiently extended commencing the work of widening, and continuing at proper intervals to produce the palm portion O ofthe taper or rounded end portion ofthe mitten in the desired form, and when this palm portion has reached the point represented by the dotted lines A the tubular portion D is commenced bycontinuing the knittingalternately in opposite directions on the opposite sets of needles until the point atwhich the thumb should be formed is reached. At' this point all the needlesare dropped or held out ot' action, except `a sufficient number on one side or set' to produce the forward o r under portion, E,'ot'thethurnb, which is produced dles previously employed in the tubular work are again brought into action, andthe tubular process hcreinbef'ore described is resumed and continued until the wristportion, with or without ribbing, is completed. In the process of producing the wrist portion itis desirable to red ucc its size to embrace the wrist more closely,

to accomplish which I prefer the employment of lighter or finer yarns, varying in suitable degrees, by the employment of which in regular or irregular succession, with or without a variation ofthe tension on'the yarn, I am enabled to give -such conformation to the wristlets` as may be required, t'o accomplish which, after having reached a proper point in the process of knitting, as at the dotted line G, I substitute for the yarn employed alighteryarn, the employment of which reduces the size ot' the fabric, and at another suitable point, if required, as at H, 1 substitute a still lighter yarn, the employment of which reduces the size of the fabric still further. rlhis process I continue, as at the dotted line I, until the desired size is attained, after which the knittingprocess may becontinned until the mitten, if a short wristlet, is completed; but if a long wristlet is required it is desirable that it should be enlarged, to accomplish which I drop the lighter yarn and substitute therefor at proper intervals heavier or coarser yarns, all of which I am enabled to accomplish automatically by means of my improved yarn carrying and shifting mechanism secured ill Patent No. 214,309, hereinbefore referred to but in the production ofthe ordinary mitten, or mittens for ordinary purposes, the wristlet may be suitably formed from the same yarn from which the main portion of the mitten is produced by slightly increasing the tension, which will operate to reduce the size of the tubular portion and produce the curved wristlet represented inthe drawings. In producing the wristlet these processes of changing the ya-rn and var ving the tension may be employed jointly to produce the required form of the wristlet, and in the use of which the reduced portion ofthe wristlet, as from Gr to H, or any desired portion of the wristlet, 1n ay be produced bya slight increase of tension on the yarn, and at the point as at H, or at any suitable point,a finer yarn may he employed to further reduce the size ot' the wristlet, and the tension thereof' may be varied to reduce or increase its size.

In the production of my improved mitten on my improved patented machinery hereinbefore referred to I am enabled to use various varieties and colors of yarn automatically, by which I am enabled Ato produce a great variety of goods without extra cost.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the thumb is formed of a forward and rear portion, with open sides and closed end, thc open sides of which I close to produce the complete thumb by crocheting, overseaming, or otherwise joining their adjacent edges by any of thc'nsual or known methods ofjoining such parts.

In the manufacture of my improved mitten I usually finish the open wristlet by overseaming, crocheti-ng, chain-looping, or by fulliug or felting, or in any ofthe usual methods to prevent raveling; but this is not always necessary, as the use of some varieties of yarn, when closely knit, will not require any protection to prevent raveling.

As represented in the drawings, it will be seen that the thumb is formed on the side of the mitten, near its upper edge, relatively with the line on which the edges of the back and the palm portions of the tapering or rounded finger end ofthe mitten are joined in narrowing and widening in the process of knitting the closed forward or finger end. This arrangement enables me to produce the mittens in pairs, which feature renders them a pleasant' wearing mitten, but does not prevent their use on either hand.

When the mitten is designed to be worn on either hand,either as a right or left hand mitten, I prefer to form the thumb on the edge of the mitten relatively with the line`on which the edges ofthe back and palm portions of the forward end of the mitten are joined in the process of knitting; but by this method of producing my improved mitten the thumb may be formed on any part of the circumference or length thereof.

1. The improved method of knitting mittens, consisting in commencing the knitting at or near the point at which the narrowing of the `end portion is commenced, and by a back-andthumb, then narrowing to contract that part of the mitten adjacent to the wristlet, and then knitting the wristlet, substantially as set forth.

2. As a new article ot' manufacture, the herein-described mitten, formed of a knit fabric, and made complete, except at the sides ofthe thumb, which are closed by seams, substantially as set forth.

JOHN NELSON.

Witnesses:

Jacon BEHEL, A. O. BEHEL.

IOO

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